Fri, 07 Feb 2014, 17:51 PM Top Fuel Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Fuel at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 54th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Right Lane: Richie Crampton Runs 9.286/71.65, Now #1

Weather conditions: air temperature 64 degrees, relative humidity 51 percent, barometer 29.01 inches, adjusted altitude 1,874 feet, track temperature 82 degrees.

Crampton making his NHRA Top Fuel debut...Crampton with a lot of tire shake right at the hit and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Steve Faria Runs 7.441/81.87, Now #1
Right Lane: Steven Chrisman Runs 12.623/70.60, Now #3

Faria with a lot tire shake and he clicks it off. Chrisman with violent tire shake right at the hit and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Scott Palmer Runs 8.246/94.55, Now #3
Right Lane: Troy Buff Runs 3.866/303.50, Now #1

Palmer starts to lose traction and shuts it off. Buff launched hard and keep it hooked up and was straight down the groove, but then dropped a cylinder right in the lights. He still makes the first full pass. Troy Buff's incremental times: 60ft-0.842 sec., 330ft-2.157, 660ft-3.080/272.89 mph.

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Left Lane: Sidnei Frigo Runs 3.899/307.02, Now #3
Right Lane: Leah Pritchett Runs 3.843/295.21, Now #1

Frigo with a nice pass and was straight down the groove. Sidnei Frigo's incremental times: 60ft-0.850 sec., 330ft-2.183, 660ft-3.114/272.12 mph. Pritchett with the new livery of Gumout on the car...apparently they will be at around 18 events and are still looking to fill out the season. She launched hard and was making a great looking pass until right right in the lights when it started to push out the head gasket. She still goes to the number one spot for now, but check out her mph. Leah Pritchett's incremental times: 60ft-0.837 sec., 330ft-2.150, 660ft-3.061/279.32 mph.

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Left Lane: Terry McMillen Runs 3.863/322.58, Now #2
Right Lane: Brittany Force Runs 3.916/279.15, Now #5

McMillen running a new chassis this year out of the Morgan Lucas Racing team. McMillen with a great pass to go to the number two spot. Terry McMillen's incremental times: 60ft-0.860 sec., 330ft-2.197, 660ft-3.108/279.04 mph. force was on a good pass until it started mixing up cylinders on the top end, she still gets into the top half of the show. Brittany Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.838 sec., 330ft-2.154, 660ft-3.089/262.90 mph.

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Left Lane: David Grubnic Runs 3.830/321.96, Now #2
Right Lane: Steve Torrence Runs 3.781/324.05, Now #1

This was a great looking drag race as they go to the top of the list. Grubnic with a real nice pass to go to the number two spot. David Grubnic's incremental times: 60ft-0.863 sec., 330ft-2.184, 660ft-3.080/282.72 mph. Torrence launched hard and keep it hooked up to go to the number one spot. Steve Torrence's incremental times: 60ft-0.834 sec., 330ft-2.135, 660ft-3.035/283.01 mph.

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Left Lane: Bob Vandergriff Runs 3.802/316.15, Now #3
Right Lane: Khalid alBalooshi Runs 3.788/322.73, Now #2

Vandergriff with a new crew chief with Kurt Elliott. This was another good side-by-side drag race as they go to number two and three. Vandergriff was straight down Broadway to go to the number three spot. Bob Vandergriff's incremental times: 60ft-0.843 sec., 330ft-2.144, 660ft-3.038/281.01 mph. alBalooshi with a great looking pass in the new look Gold car to go to the number two spot. Khalid alBalooshi's incremental times: 60ft-0.841 sec., 330ft-2.141, 660ft-3.042/279.32 mph.

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Left Lane: Tony Schumacher Runs 9.362/71.13, Now #14
Right Lane: Clay Millican Runs 8.664/79.82, Now #12

Schumacher lost traction right at the hit and clicked it off. Millican is now driving for Dexter Tuttle and he starts to lose traction early and clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Spencer Massey Runs 6.715/82.59, Now #11
Right Lane: Doug Kalitta Runs 3.756/328.38, Now #1

Massey starts to lose traction before 330-foot mark and clicks it off. Kalitta did not test the dragster during the off season and he comes out here makes a great pass to open the season. He launched hard and keep it hooked up to go to the number one spot. Doug Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.836 sec., 330ft-2.138, 660ft-3.022/288.33 mph.

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Left Lane: Antron Brown Runs 3.798/318.17, Now #5
Right Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.746/328.70, Now #1

This was a great drag race to wrap up round one. Brown with a nice pass to get into the top half of the show. Antron Brown's incremental times: 60ft-0.850 sec., 330ft-2.141, 660ft-3.040/280.72 mph. Langdon takes the new look Silver car to the number one spot with a great pass. Shawn Langdon's incremental times: 60ft-0.836 sec., 330ft-2.127, 660ft-3.010/287.41 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink